Hillingdon residents have raised £50,000 for Harlington Hospice by giving unwanted household items a new lease of life. Since January 2020, the Council’s waste weekend events have provided residents with the opportunity to donate and re-use items left by others if they make a charitable donation. The funds raised support the hospice to provide invaluable care for people and their families living with serious or terminal illness .
Operated by Powerday on behalf of the council, the waste weekends create a pop-up civic amenity site in West Drayton, which is a free facility for residents to use every weekend, 9am to 4pm, to dispose of household rubbish and recycling.
The Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr Shehryar Ahmad-Wallana, Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, and Powerday staff, presented representatives of Harlington Hospice with a cheque at a special celebration event on Saturday 20 January.
Wendy Whyte, Community Fundraiser at Harlington Hospice, said: “The incredible support we’ve received from the waste weekend charity shop over the last four years means so much to our hospice.
“At Harlington Hospice, we’re here to support people living with serious or terminal illness in Hillingdon and the surrounding areas. We believe that everybody living in our community should be able to access the care and support they need to be able to live each of their days in their own way, to the fullest.
“Through the generosity of our community, we’re able to provide this support through our inpatient unit at Michael Sobell House, Hospice at Home, Wellbeing, Psychological and Emotional Support (including our Child and Adolescent Bereavement Service), Harlington Care and education and information services.
“On behalf of the whole team at Harlington Hospice, we are so grateful to everyone who has donated and purchased items from the shop over the last four years, and a big thank you to the waste weekend team for choosing to support our charity.”
Cllr Lavery, said: “This is a fantastic achievement by our residents and shows an ongoing commitment to reduce waste, recycle and re-use items. I’d like to thank them for their efforts, every single donation makes a huge difference to the lives of other residents in need of additional care and support. “Our waste weekends provide residents with the opportunity to recycle items they no longer need while making a positive contribution to a local charity. This helps to reduce the environmental impact and supports our commitment to create a green and more sustainable borough for future generations.”
To find out more about the council’s waste and recycling centres, including the waste weekends, visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling-centres